Dutra admits help -- Published February 27, 2003

Sarah Dutra and Laren Sims drove to Las Vegas in December 2001 with Larry McNabney's body in the trunk of a bright red sports car, revealed Wednesday in a videotape played in a San Joaquin County courtroom.

By Linda Hughes-Kirchubel

recordnet.com

By Linda Hughes-Kirchubel

Posted May. 19, 2005 at 12:01 AM
Updated Aug 14, 2007 at 2:42 PM

By Linda Hughes-Kirchubel

Posted May. 19, 2005 at 12:01 AM
Updated Aug 14, 2007 at 2:42 PM

» Social News

Sarah Dutra and Laren Sims drove to Las Vegas in December 2001 with Larry McNabney's body in the trunk of a bright red sports car, revealed Wednesday in a videotape played in a San Joaquin County courtroom.

During an all-night, videotaped interview held March 19 at the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, Dutra told authorities she refused to help Sims bury her husband's body but did help her put it in the trunk of the Jaguar that Sims drove but was registered in Dutra's name.

Dutra is accused of McNabney's special-circumstance murder and could spend the rest of her life in prison if convicted. Sims, arrested and charged last March, committed suicide in a Florida jail shortly after her first court appearance.

In the videotape played for the jury, Dutra said she didn't know that Sims had poisoned McNabney with horse tranquilizer at a Los Angeles County horse show until she flew in from Sacramento at Sims' request. In the trial's opening statements, Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa insisted circumstantial evidence will prove McNabney was poisoned by both Sims and Dutra, who then drove to Woodbridge with his body, stuffed it into a refrigerator at McNabney's home.

On Wednesday the jury saw portions of Dutra's interview in which she admitted she and Sims drove McNabney's body in the trunk of her Jaguar to Las Vegas in December 2001.

She told authorities that as the pair planned to leave for Las Vegas, Sims called Dutra into the Woodbridge garage, where Dutra saw the dead McNabney on a black tarp on the floor.

"I saw him laying there on the ground," Dutra said. "We each picked up one side of the tarp... (She said) 'Come on, just help me lift him into the trunk,' and so I did."

During the drive to Las Vegas, Dutra said, she asked Sims what would happen if the police pulled them over.

"She said, 'Just drive,' " Dutra said.

Dutra insisted she did not help Sims attempt to find a burial site and never saw her "do anything with the body in Vegas."

"When we were leaving Las Vegas I said, '...Can we open the trunk?' and she said 'No,' " Dutra told authorities.

She then realized the body would travel all the way back with them to Woodbridge, she said.

Dutra insisted she told Sims she'd not take part in disposing of McNabney's body.

"I told her I would not help bury him ... and she said, 'OK, I'll do it myself,'" Dutra said on the videotape.

Before hanging herself in a Florida jail, Sims admitted to authorities that she alone buried McNabney in a vineyard near Linden. The body was discovered Feb. 5, 2002, in a shallow grave.